Hosted by the Midwest Native Plant Society, Inc. and Greater Cincinnati Wild Ones

As long time monarch enthusiasts, Mark and Nan Plunkett recently visited two Monarch Butterfly overwintering sites, Sierra Chincua and El Rosario, in the Oyamel Fir forests located in Central Mexico. They will speak about their experience, using photos from their trip, and will give us an update of the monarch’s status as well as some interesting thoughts on the future (and past) of the monarch butterfly and what actions we as gardeners can take to help them thrive.

Mark and Nan Plunkett are trained Master Gardener Volunteers and members of the horticulture volunteer team at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Both have completed master’s degrees in Biology with a focus on local conservation from Miami University. As enthusiastic home gardeners, they enjoy not only the plants in the gardens they have created but love how these stationary, rooted plants actually move through the wings of the insects and birds they attract.